


Family never truly leaves us

by SonofSallyJackson (thecompletebookworm)



Series: We need to stick together [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: AU, Canon Divergent, Gen, Sort Of, Timeline Meddling, absolutely not, also I may have taken feral toddler everything must go in my mouth Jason too far, baby lost trio, but I had fun doing it, do I know anything about Hollywood?, grows up together for a short period of time in Hollywood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:07:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25142884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecompletebookworm/pseuds/SonofSallyJackson
Summary: Thalia Grace was very good at finding her family.  Keeping that family together was a completely different story.  Her first family collapsed when her brother’s disappearance became too much to bear.  She died for her second family, only to wake up years later and not recognize them anymore.   Her third family is literally twenty-odd teenagers and an immortal virgin goddess, but she’s never been one for traditional.
Relationships: Jason Grace & Piper McLean & Leo Valdez, Jason Grace & Thalia Grace
Series: We need to stick together [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1821352
Comments: 9
Kudos: 34





	Family never truly leaves us

**Author's Note:**

> So I initially wanted to get this whole fic out by Jason’s birthday, but it expanded drastically beyond the original idea. This fic will take place in 3 parts with each of Thalia's makeshift families: the lost trio, Luke and Annabeth, and finally, the hunters. I already have started a companion fic to this from Piper/Leo's perspective when Jason shows up back in their lives, but that won't be out until after this is finished. This first chapter is not beta-read, because gosh darn it, if I can’t get the fic out by Jason’s birthday, I should at least get it out by Leo’s. (Also not going to lie, finding a beta reader when you’re new to the PJO fandom is very intimidating). 
> 
> The inspiration for this fic came primarily from two sources: First, from Silima's AU idea about the Lost Trio growing up in California together and the beautiful artwork surrounding it (https://silima.tumblr.com/post/621849166237335552/i-usually-hate-babysitting-kids-but-for-your-leo & https://silima.tumblr.com/post/621823810340077568/i-just-want-them-to-be-childhood-friends). But also from mylordshesacactus’s incredible series surrounding the hunters (https://archiveofourown.org/series/159329). If you haven't read them already, I highly recommend them. She made me fall in love with two of her OCs so deeply that I couldn't imagine addressing Thalia's time with the hunters without making some mention of them. I have her permission to include Ari and Alene in my own fic, although just to be clear, she was not actually involved with this fic at all.
> 
> Also, I know nothing about Hollywood sets and know what occurs here probably violates so many rules. I know it’s not mentioned, but Hera was still very involved in Leo’s life; Thalia was just unaware of it. There are cops/discussion of what happens after someone goes missing in this first chapter, so please bear that in mind if that's triggering for you.

Thalia Grace was very good at finding her family. Keeping that family together was a completely different story. 

Her first family was one pulled together just as much biologically as it had been by circumstance. Beryl Grace lacked the maternal instinct necessary to be a good mother, but she did have a strong ability for finding people who might be useful to her. Of course, her definition of useful was particularly fickle. Some days useful meant the literal king of the gods, who she would beg to make her queen of his dominion, to revere her above all others. Other days it meant the personal assistant, all too willing to fill their mansion with a never-ending supply of alcohol. On the best days, it brought Tristan Mclean, Esperanza Valdez and their children into their lives. 

Beryl had mocked her agent at first. _You really couldn’t get me anything better? The Oscar committee hates fantasy._ But she had wanted to dive back into the world of Hollywood elite where she belonged. She wanted to prove that her second child didn’t mean she had let herself go or was less worthy of the public’s adoration. If anything Beryl claimed to six-year-old Thalia, _I’m more worthy. Who can say they’ve attracted a god twice?_

They met in the middle, as Beryl Grace’s fame was crashing, and Tristan Mclean's was preparing for a meteoric rise. He'd worked with the director on a few minor projects, but it was his first starring role in such a big-budget film. Regardless, it had taken a little convincing. After all, he was a single father with a daughter under the age of two, and his closest family was halfway across the country. But the director was insistent, sending scripts, pictures of the prototype animatronic dragons, and finally, a pretty young woman from the special effects department who also had a little kid. Esperanza Valdez and her honest approach to how she was handling her "tornado with legs" did more to calm his fears than anything else did. Tristan signed on enthusiastically after making sure childcare was handled. 

Beryl Grace didn’t bother to consider something as bland as childcare. After all, she accumulated a list of nannies over the years. No one stuck around very long. The latest, Mrs. Costa, thought their house was haunted. She didn’t like the way wind danced through the house or the lightning that flashed even when the sky was completely clear. One day Mrs. Costa ran out of the house, screaming that the baby was floating and needed to be exorcised. 

"I don't have time to be dealing with this, Thalia." Beryl snapped as if this was all Thalia’s fault. “I’m calling the studio.” 

It turned out the studio had no problem with adding two more children to their makeshift daycare. Beryl Grace dropped them off at Tristan Mclean’s trailer, apologizing all the way as she runs to makeup. The trailer was a mess of children’s toys and storybooks. Thalia was not impressed, but Jason squealed excitedly at the other children already on the floor. The girl definitely dressed herself, decked out as she was in a rainbow tutu, a camo t-shirt and rainboots despite the fact they’re in the middle of a drought. The boy didn’t say anything but offered Jason the red block he’d previously been playing with. He’s smaller than Jason, with dark curly hair and an infectious smile. Thalia’s never felt more out of place as she watches the three of them play. She’s used to being Jason’s whole world, the one who always keeps him entertained and safe.

The blond intern boredly watching them, jumped to her feet as the door opened again. A woman slightly younger than her mother with dark skin and twinkling brown eyes smiled at her easily. 

"Thanks so much for covering for me, Sarah. We should be good to go. I only had to explain the controls about six times to Pat.”

"Really, Esperanza? They're letting Pat handle it." There's clear annoyance in her voice, but she also seems resigned to the fact. 

"It turns out being the producer's son has its perks." Esperanza patted Sarah's shoulder encouragingly. "If it were up to me, you'd be the one running it.” 

“I’ll come get you if we run into problems, but I think you’re good to stay with the kids.” Sarah glanced in Thaila’s direction as if to remind her boss of their unusual charges. 

“Well, you’ll know where to find me.” 

After Sarah had left, Esperanza set her walkie talkie on the table before kneeling down, so she was eye to eye with Thalia. "Hello Mija, you must be Thalia. I don't know what your mother told you, but my name is Esperanza. I’m going to be looking after you and your brother today.” 

Thalia nodded uncertainly. She was used to new people coming into their lives, but that didn't mean she liked it. And she knew all too well, that even the people with the brightest smiles could bring trouble.

"The other little munchkins are Piper and Leo." Piper didn't even react to her name as she was too busy building a tower, so a giggling Jason could knock it over. Leo, on the other hand, gave his Mama a curious glance before promptly shoving a block in his mouth. 

“Jason tries to eat everything too!” Thalia said with a slight laugh. 

“They tend to do that at this age. It helps them explore their world better.” Esperanza gently encouraged Leo to take it out only to have her son holding tightly to her like a spider monkey. 

Thalia sort of understood that. She didn’t understand the world either, but she didn’t think knowing how blocks tasted really made Jason any more of an expert. 

“Most of the toys we have are meant for someone their age, but I’m sure we can find something for you to play with.” 

In the end, Thalia settled down with a stack of paper and crayons. She sat as close to Jason as possible, just on the outside of the trio’s little circle. Even though she already felt like Esperanza was better at keeping an eye on Jason than Mrs. Costa, Thalia continually checked in on her brother, although her glances slowly subside from one for every new line she added to her drawing to only when she grabbed a new crayon or when one of the kids let out an indignant squawk or a giggle. 

When Piper requested a song for naptime, it’s easy to slip into a gentle sleep until the trailer door opened, and Thalia heard her mother's voice.

Beryl fluttered her eyelashes at Tristan as she leaves exaggerated kisses on her children’s heads. “I really can’t thank you enough for helping today.” 

He let out the hearty genuine laugh that he’ll be known for one day. “It was all Esperanza, really.” He said as he offered the other woman a smile. “In this industry, single parents need to stick together. Helping out for the week is the least we can do.” 

It ended up being much more than a week.

Many days on set are often the same as their first, although a collection of toy cars, a robot, and a pair of lightsabers are added to the more toddler-friendly options. There are days when the kids are so full of energy there’s no possible way to stay in the trailer. The trio ran laps around the trailer or race between wherever Thalia and Esperanza are standing. 

Sometimes if they promise to be good, they even go on adventures to see different parts of the studio lot. The women in the hair and makeup department dote on Piper. Leo is happiest in his mother’s workshop. Jason proclaimed he wants to be exactly like the stunt actors, which made Thalia’s heart skip a beat. Despite all of the cool things she’s seen on set, Thalia loved the days they watch their parents act the most. When Thalia watched her mother, she felt like she understands why Beryl is so determined to make it here. She thrived in front of the lights and camera. There's an ease to her smiles that Thalia hasn’t seen since her father left.

After one late-night shoot where the children all slept over in the Mclean house, the families traded the trailer for their homes. Esperanza's schedule barely overlapped with the other two. She got to set early to set up her machines, or she went later for the nightly repairs. In the hours where makeup calls overlapped with set-up, a tired production assistant lazily watched the kids in Tristan’s trailer. There are days where Beryl filmed, and Tristan didn't, and vice versa. Days when Tristan took all four children because Esperanza needed to get some decent sleep. They look out for each other. While Beryl was not thrilled about the idea of two additional kids in her house, it’s a lot easier to keep a babysitter than a nanny.

Undoubtedly, this strategy would have been completely impossible if the three toddlers hadn't been friends. Luckily, the kids got along almost too well. Even if they saw each other nearly every day, separating them was a nightmare. They also were more than willing to help out in each other's schemes. Jason’s determination to put absolutely everything in his mouth had only grown as he got older. Sure things kept falling off of high shelves as if pushed by some invisible force, but Thalia thought she’d probably be able to handle that if it hadn’t been for Leo. He was a week younger, but when he got the occasional look of mischief on his chubby face, Thalia knew it was over. She’d walked in from school twice now to find Jason chewing on something she knew was in one of the locked cabinets and Leo proudly smiling on the counter. 

Of course, all good things come to an end. Thalia worried that with no movie bonding the three families together, everything would fall apart, that she and Jason would be left to their own devices. She realized she shouldn’t have worried when Beryl mentioned they’re spending the Premiere night at the Valdez’s. Three assistants needed to sew Beryl into a form-fitting dress with embroidery that looks like the night stars. Her mother may have looked radiant on the red carpet, but Thalia preferred Esperanza’s mismatched pajamas and the genuine smiles she gave as she tucks the four of them in. 

In the end, the film flopped. The only things critics deemed worthy of any praise are Esperanza’s mechanical dragons. The fans seem to prefer the shirtless Tristan Mclean scenes. It had the potential to be a cult classic one day, but Beryl Grace didn’t care about being famous someday. She wanted the world now when she’s young and beautiful. She already deserved the world. 

* * *

It was probably for the best that Beryl misses most of the party. It's the easy sort of affair that she would hate. She's always been one for spectacle, and three kids sitting in highchairs flinging red frosting at each other was not a spectacle. She chose her career over her son’s third birthday. It didn’t even surprise Thalia anymore. ~~~~

“You know I can’t Thalia. My agent says this is a big opportunity we’ve been waiting for. I just know it’s the _one_.” Beryl said as she pulled up to the Valdez’s apartment building. 

Thalia didn’t mention that every audition, every lunch, every cocktail hour seemed to be _the one_ lately. Her mother is frazzled in a way she’s never seen her before. She hasn’t accepted that there is no new movie coming. A new blonde-haired, blue-eyed ingenue showed up in Hollywood every day, and they’re almost all younger and easier to work with than Beryl Grace. 

“I’ll be there later, Sweetie.” She handed Thalia a disposable camera. “You’ll just have to show me what I miss.” 

It’s almost funny how their birthdays align so perfectly. Piper’s is in June and Leo and Jason’s a week apart. They held the party together since the kids wouldn't know differently anyway. Unlike Beryl, Tristan took the day off from auditions. Esperanza had already spent the entire night before making enough food for an army. 

Thalia blew up a hundred silver balloons, never realizing that an eight-year-old should have been out of breath much sooner and that without helium, her balloons should stay firmly on the ground. Some of them do, but most float easily around the apartment. Piper and Leo bounced one back and forth to each other, giggling the entire time. Jason practically pounced on one and tries to eat it. It pops beneath him, which seemed to be enough to convince him not to put this strange thing in his mouth. He joined the other two, although he took great pleasure in hitting the balloon as hard as he can at Thalia to convince her to join them. 

There’s easy laughter, homemade tamales, and little shouts of “Tree! Tree! Tree!” as the birthday kids marched around the room, announcing their age proudly for everyone to hear despite not mastering the sound an h makes. The pictures Thalia took are more for herself then Beryl, to remind herself of how happy she was. This is probably for the best as Beryl never asks to look at the pictures. 

Maybe in another world, Thalia would feel like it was impossible to go to school, to leave Jason alone with their mother or the nanny of the month for the day. But in this world, Thalia has other adults in her corner. The three children stayed together in a play-pin in Esperanza’s workshop or Tristan’s office as he looked for his next big role. It wasn’t an ideal scenario since by the time they were three and a half, they were more than capable of making a break for it. But they’d learned early not to touch anything besides their toys, that masterful escapes were meant for playing in the yard or for grabbing extra crayons and that if necessary the parents could find other arrangements, potentially separate arrangements. Personal assistants and nannies filled in where the parents couldn’t, but these had been hired by parents who actually cared about their children. 

School was hard enough in this world where the letters floated off the page, and Thalia couldn't sit still, so Thalia truly couldn’t imagine a worse one. But after school, when there were no glowering teachers or odd children with one eye, Thalia relaxed. She sat at the short wooden table in whoever’s living room they were staying at for the day and stubbornly work on her homework as Leo put together puzzles, and Piper roped Jason into creating larger than life storylines for her Barbies.

Piper seemed to know when her homework made her want to scream because she would ask in her sweetest voice, “Tally, play now?” 

“Who am I today, Pipes?” 

Jason might try to hand her the doll he'd previously been sucking on, but usually, Piper had something very specific in mind. There’s Sofia, the redheaded murder suspect complete with purple crayon scars. Or Ama, the princess in disguise that Jason attacked with a pair of safety scissors, so she's almost bald. Or a million other characters with intricate backstories. 

Piper occasionally needed to pause their play because “Jason was doing it all wrong” or because she needed to ask Leo to build their characters a castle out of Legos. But overall, Thalia could play with the kiddos for hours after school. 

Occasionally things were bad. Beryl would be sent home from a shoot early, alcohol heavy on her breath. Daytime soap actresses were a dime a dozen, and no one had the patience for a woman past her prime who could barely remember her lines and couldn't even stand without swaying. (Beryl’s character was given a brain tumor to explain her behavior and allow the writers time to get rid of the fan favorite.) Those days featured doors slamming and screaming. If they’re at the Grace Mansion, Thalia made sure the kiddos were safely out of sight and occupied, before ducking behind the kitchen counter so she can call for reinforcements. Mostly though, she found about these sorts of days after the fact, when Tristan’s assistant drove the two of them home, and there would be broken glasses and picture frames with their mother passed out in her bedroom. 

Despite this, Thalia grew up loved, even if that love didn’t come from her biological parents. Tristan tried to entice her to read even though it's hard. He pretended he needed someone to run lines with and encouraged Thalia to be as dramatic as possible. Somehow it didn’t matter that the words are swimming in front of her, she’s only nine, and the idea of collapsing dramatically into fake tears is so much more powerful than her fear of getting something wrong. It certainly helped that her captive audience of toddlers seems to love everything she did. Piper and Jason always seemed to giggle when she reads the lines in a sing-song voice, so Thalia goes out of her way to do it, even when the part didn’t call for it. Esperanza played rock music that allowed Thalia to scream out her frustration and dance around the kitchen in the Valdez apartment. It's a wild mass of limbs, and she doesn’t even know which language Leo is yelling in half the time. But it feels right. She has a family that loves her. 

When they moved out of the mansion into a cramped apartment, Thalia told herself it didn't matter. This cold house with its glass walls and minimalist furnishings never really felt like home. The new apartment sort of did after Thalia covered her side of the room in scotch tape and pictures. She's collected evidence of everything her mother missed during her auditions, her soap operas, and eventually her hours as a waitress. There's Tristan playing ring-around-the-Rosie, and Piper refusing to wear anything not dinosaur themed. Jason smiling despite his stitches because he tried to eat a stapler. Leo stands proudly in front of his first project, little wrench still in hand. There's a slightly blurry picture of Esperanza teaching her how to make enchiladas. Thalia captured everything. Maybe someday her mother would see them and be sorry she missed this.

On Thalia’s 10th birthday, her mother didn’t give her a gift. It’s almost like she can’t see her anymore. Beryl spent the entire day reminiscing about Zeus. Thalia is not her own person. She’s her father’s black hair and startling blue eyes. She has Zeus’ determined face and his chin. Thalia is proof that in the long scheme of things, Beryl has won, won the affection of a god, and that no matter how much further they fall, no one can take that prize away from her. 

Thalia didn’t particularly like the idea of being the child of a god, especially since she hasn’t seen her father since Jason was born. She wasn’t sure she truly believed it either. It seemed like just another fantasy Beryl latched onto the idea in a drunken haze. Thalia barely saw her mother sober anymore. If she was a child of a god, Thalia should feel powerful and important. Instead, she's just alone with her baby brother on her birthday. 

She got birthday phone calls from both the Mcleans and the Valdezs, but they’re not here. It’s three days before Christmas after all. Esperanza’s extended family in Texas took the holiday very seriously, and Tristan finally had a long enough break from shooting to go home to Oklahoma. She smiled brightly when they gave her presents later, a leather jacket and extra cameras, and doesn’t tell them the truth that even thinking about her birthday made her heart ache. 

* * *

In the weeks leading up to Jason’s fifth birthday, Beryl got worse. She didn’t acknowledge her children, wandering the house in a daze, muttering under her breath. 

Thalia put on a brave face and told Jason, “Mom’s just practicing for a new role,” but she was terrified. 

Thalia saw her arguing with people who aren’t there, her mother’s eyes wide and tortured. None of her pleas made any sense. "No, you can't have him. I need more time." “He’s my son, not hers! You didn’t even let me name him.” “Why can’t you protect us?” 

Jason nearly threw a tantrum when Beryl suggested they have a birthday picnic. “No! We always celebrate with Piper and Leo!” 

Thalia glared at her mother before kneeling to face her brother. "We'll see them tomorrow, Jay. But for now, we'll go see the woods and the stars. You'll be able to run around as much as you want." 

“Really? As much as I want?” 

Thalia almost groaned, knowing she'll regret those words later. She’ll have to chase him down, and Jason runs like he's practically flying. 

Beryl gave her a grateful look, but Thalia didn’t return it. Sure her mother was making an effort, but they both deserve so much more after everything she has put them through. 

Jason was the only one to speak the entire drive to the state park. He sang the alphabet about six times and twinkle-twinkle little star twice. But he never stopped talking, not even as Thalia unbuckled him from his car seat, and the three of them walked through the state park.

Beryl’s hands shook as she set their picnic basket by the pond. “Sweetheart, I think we forgot the blanket. Why don’t you run back to the car and grab it?” 

“Sure,” Thalia shrugged. “Jason, why don’t you come with me?” 

He looked ready to shout that he’ll “race her back” when Beryl put an arm around his shoulder, a sickly-sweet smile on her face. “Really, Thalia. I can watch my own son for two minutes.” 

Thalia swallowed. She seemed more put together today, but her mother is an actress, and appearances can be misleading. Thalia practically ran from their spot near the ruins to the car. 

It took a few minutes to realize there was no picnic blanket. Thalia wanted to think it's a coincidence that Beryl actually thought they brought the blanket, but the sinking feeling in her stomach let her know it was likely always a distraction, a wild goose chase to get her away from Jason. 

Thalia slammed the trunk of the car closed. Ten minutes. How much trouble could her mother cause in ten minutes? She ran until her lungs hurt, her heart throbbing in her chest. The path was uneven under her worn-out sneakers. Thalia tripped over a tree root and barely noticed her scraped knee as she set off again. It felt hard to breathe, but Thalia isn't sure if that's coming from her worry or her running. 

Upon first glance, the meadow with the ruins of the old house was empty. As Thalia got closer, she saw her mother hunched over on the ground. Beryl was sobbing like she would never run out of tears. She’s alone. 

Thalia couldn’t help but shake her mother desperately, “What’d you do? Where is he? How could you?” The questions rolled out of her uncontrollably. 

She was barely gone ten minutes, but it felt like something has drastically changed. 

“Hera claimed him. He’s as good as dead.” Beryl was able to manage between sobs.

Her mother had no right to cry. She didn’t know Jason, not really, not the way Thalia did. She didn’t know that Jason liked to pretend he can fly and preferred the Buzz Lightyear band-aids when he inevitably scrapes himself up jumping from furniture or the playground equipment to demonstrate. She didn’t know that Jason liked to build block towers just as much as Piper did, but he liked knocking them over more because he got to roar like a dinosaur or howl like a wolf. She didn’t know about the bird’s nest Jason decided to camp outside protecting because he was worried the mama bird wouldn’t come back. Thalia knows those things. She thinks he’s the most important person in the universe and now he’s gone. 

They stayed for two hours. Thalia combed every inch of the area, looked behind every tree, in every bush. She screamed Jason’s name until she can’t anymore. When Beryl dragged her away from the site, Thalia didn’t even have the energy to fight her. 

The drive home was oddly silent without Jason’s chatter. 

Beryl disappeared into the confines of her bedroom as soon as they got home. She would wallow in her own grief away from her remaining child. Beryl knew Thalia deserved to be comforted, but she also knew that people seldom got what they deserved. 

Thalia ran to her spot behind the kitchen counter. She wished it was a normal day as she picked up the phone. She wanted to just be able to call Esmeralda and tell her that her mother was having a rough day, to ask that someone come pick up Jason and her. But this time was different. This time Thalia calls 911. 

The police cars pulled up to their apartment in a flurry of sound and lights. Thalia can’t move from her spot behind the counter even when they demanded someone open the door. She hugged herself tightly as her mother opened the door. 

"Really, Officer, I don't understand what the problem is," Beryl said earnestly but firmly kept them outside.

“We have a report of a missing child from a Miss Thalia Grace.” 

Thalia can’t see her mother’s face, but her mask must not firmly be in place. They knew something was wrong, even as Beryl attempted to push them away. "Oh, that's just my daughter. What a frightful imagination she has. I'm sure it's nothing, Officers. I'm sorry for bothering-.” 

A female officer cut off Beryl's apology. "Even If it's just a simple mistake, it's still best that we talk to her. We'll even let her know that this isn't the sort of thing to joke about."

Thalia felt her tears grow heavier at that. There is no way she could ever joke about this, not with a memory of her baby brother singing twinkle twinkle little star running through her head. 

The officer walked past a reluctant Beryl into the apartment. Her partner, a Hispanic man with greying hair, stayed with her mother as she sought out Thalia. The blonde woman didn't need to look far before she found her curled in a ball in the corner against the lower cabinets. Thalia was a mess, covered in scrapes and dirt from her time spent searching for her brother. The officer gingerly sat down across from her. 

“You must be Thalia. I’m Officer Joan. You did a really good job calling us tonight. I know you told the person on the phone a little bit of what happened, but can you tell me everything please?” 

Thalia’s words spilled out of her, a desperate flood of information on the off chance that literally anything is even the slightest bit helpful in finding Jason. She didn’t know if these people even can help. This felt strange, like her one-eyed classmates or her mother begging people who aren’t there, but Thalia needed them to be able to do the impossible anyway. She won’t ever forgive herself if the police could have done something and they didn’t

When she finished, Officer Joan nodded to her partner before helping Thalia to her feet. "Now, I know this isn't going to be fun, but we need to take your mom to the station so we can ask her more questions.

Thalia nodded, slightly unsure. She understood, but every second that someone wasn’t looking for her brother was time he could spend hurt. Why weren’t they moving faster? 

“Do you have someone you can stay with while we do that? A relative?”

When the police car pulled up to the Valdez apartment, it is seven hours since she last saw her brother. Thalia thinks it isn’t possible to cry anymore. She’s done almost nothing but cry since Jason disappeared. She used up all her tears. 

Esperanza answered the door with a look of confusion on her face. Her curls were already wrapped in a purple headscarf. Her fingers kept her thin robe closed over her nightdress. The look of confusion turned to one of worry when she saw Thalia. Officer Joan briefly explained the situation, but Esperanza never truly took her eyes off Thalia’s face. 

“Tally!” Leo exclaimed as he saw the people at the front door. He peered around their legs eagerly before the smile fell from his face. “Where’s Jay?” 

Thalia broke down into a fresh set of tears.

“Leo, why don’t you go pick out another book to read while I get Thalia settled?” The little boy looked confused. Thalia and Jason were a package set. If Thalia was here, his best friend should be too. 

Esperanza closed the door behind the departing officer before pulling Thalia into a tight hug. "Oh, sweetheart, everything's going to be alright. You just let it out. I know it's been a hard day."

Esperanza maneuvered the two of them, so they were sitting on the sagging couch, all the while clutching her tightly. Esperanza wrapped her in a blanket and fixed some hot chocolate before she finally left to put Leo to bed. 

After Leo’s safely asleep, Esperanza came back with a washcloth and a glass of water. She doesn’t force Thalia to say anything. She merely wiped away the grime of the day from her face before gently helping the girl lay down with her head in Esperanza’s lap. She ran her fingers through Thalia’s short hair until the girl settled into an uneasy sleep. 

The police come back the next day. She remembered getting frustrated that they were here again, asking her the same questions instead of being out there finding her brother, but the rest of the interview is a blur. She sat on the couch, watching the rain pound harshly against the glass. A flash of lightning illuminated the sky, and Thalia prayed to whoever may be listening that Jason is somewhere safe and dry. The thunder didn’t stop all day. 

Her mother must have been sober enough to give the performance of her life because she wasn't charged for Jason's disappearance. There is no body. It's Thalia's word against hers, and Thalia was just a kid. Still, the papers had a field day. “Who is Beryl Grace’s super-secret custody agreement with?” “Did Disgraced Soap Opera Star Kill Her Own Son?” “Where is Jason Grace?” Her brother’s face smiled at her on the cover of tabloids for weeks, and it just felt like too much. 

Thalia tried to stay. She really did. She barely entered the apartment that she shared with her mother, instead crashing on Esperanza’s couch or the guest room in the Mclean house. These people seem to understand, at least. They’ve seen Beryl Grace at her worst. They believe Thalia without question. Although after Tristan gets reprimanded for drawing negative attention to himself, they don’t press the issue publicly anymore. No one says it, but the odds are Jason is dead already. 

Thalia pretends she doesn’t hear Esperanza and Tristan’s frantic whispers late at night, knowing they’re talking about what to do with her. She ripped down every photo she ever put on her bedroom wall the one time she can bring herself to go back inside the room she shared with her brother. She can’t look at them, can’t see Jason grinning back at her with a red party hat holding up three fingers proudly or Jason making funny faces with Piper and Leo, without wanting to scream. Thalia tried to avoid looking at Piper and Leo’s disappointed faces. They don’t understand what’s happening, but their best friend is gone. Their little questions of “But is Jay coming back tomorrow?” break her heart. She can’t bear to stay here, but she also has nowhere else to go. 

* * *

In the end, Thalia didn’t make the decision to leave so much as the monsters did.

She noticed the looming shadows before she saw them. Thalia ducked behind a mailbox to get a better look at them. They're over double her size, with wild eyes, pointy teeth, and hairy arms covered in tattoos. Their clothes wouldn’t look too out of place at a rock concert if it weren’t for their necklaces. The giants proudly wore chains with everything from beaded necklaces to gleaming weapons attached to it. Souvenirs, Thalia thought to herself. The spoils of war from the people who they killed before. She would not let herself be next. 

“The hero is close. Their scent is strong.” 

Thalia did not feel like a hero, especially as she studied the swords and spears that rattle against their chests. She’s only eleven years old, but no one else on the street seemed to notice them. 

"You better be right, brother. Halfblood is a treat, but I'm hungry now." Scraps of blood-soaked denim clung to the ogre's face.

Would they just eat whoever they come across if she didn’t come forward? This is a busy road, only a few blocks from the school. They could grab anyone; her classmates are at risk the longer she stays hidden. She knows in her bones that she’s the person they’re looking for. She may not know the word “Halfblood," but it felt right to her. Thalia wished she was in a position where she could fight, where she could leap up and just fight them. But all she had was a backpack, and as scary as math was, she didn’t think her textbook can do much damage. 

Thalia was so absorbed in trying to think of an escape plan, something that both didn't draw attention to herself and minimized the casualties, that she didn't notice the hand inching toward the mailbox until it was too late. She jumped back.

The giants leered at her. “Little hero. I see we won’t have to wait long for dinner.” 

She was not an especially fast runner, but she is small enough to maneuver quickly, to change paths even as they lumbered toward her. They recognized that they could not win on speed alone. They use the very features of the street as projectiles. The giants lift cars as if they weigh nothing. Shop awnings fall in their grasp. Thalia did everything she could to avoid them. 

Still, it was not enough. The stoplight may not have hit her, but she needed extra time to jump around it to avoid the sparks flying off it. It was time she did not have to lose. 

Thalia can’t explain why she did it. Her back was against the rough concrete wall. She was out of options. So Thalia raised her right hand and directed it toward the closer giant. She just wanted a way out of here, any way. The lightning flashed until there was nothing left of the giant but the smell of burning flesh and his spoils of war.

“Child of Zeus, you shall pay for that.” He lunged for her, but missed, his hand impeding deep into the wall behind her. 

Thalia swallowed, surprised despite the absurdity of her current situation that her mother was telling the truth. A god. Her father really had been a god. After Jason had disappeared, Thalia had completely dismissed the notion. What sort of god didn’t even protect his own son? 

"I will have revenge, godling." The remaining giant ripped one of the streetlamps up from the base. It flew to her left, even if the miss was a little too close for comfort. 

Thalia tried to recreate the feeling, the tug in her stomach, but no matter what she did, she could not summon more lightning. She had another option, though. The giant may have disappeared, but his necklace of souvenirs had not.

Thalia tugged a spear loose from the chain. It feels right in her hand. 

“There is no escape, little hero. I will feast on your bones.” 

Thalia didn’t have any time to think as the monster stalked forward. There was no time to worry about all the ways this can go wrong, that she's never held a spear, let alone thrown one. She flung the spear with all her might, hoping it would go straight.

Amazingly it did, and the Laistrygonian howled as he disappeared. 

Even as the ogre crumbled into dust, Thalia kept panicking. He said her scent was strong, which meant more monsters would be coming. What would happen if she was with Piper and Leo next time? They were just little kids. Plus, Tristan and Esperanza had gone out of their way since they’d met to make sure that she was safe and loved. It wasn’t fair to involve them or put them at risk. 

Thalia couldn't be here the next time a monster attacked. She wasn't going to let them get hurt. Thalia couldn't watch someone else she loved die and know she could have prevented it. She had to gather some supplies first, but then she was leaving. If the price to pay for her family’s safety was never seeing them again, she’d gladly pay it. 


End file.
